The Environmental Council of the States (“ECOS”) issued a report titled:
Green Report – Status of State Environmental Agency Budgets Fiscal Years 2016 to 2019 (“Report”)
The Report is authored by ECOS Intern Andrew Pratt, under the direction of Executive Project Manager Beth Graves.
The Report is a reflection of state environmental agency budget data solicited from the 50 states, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Forty-seven responses were received.
Arkansas is listed as one of the states that responded to the survey.
The Report is described as providing information on state environmental agency budgets for the fiscal years 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019. It further provides information that is stated to be focused on:
- Changes in trends in such budgets
- Analysis of changes to the three main funding sources
- Description of the three main funding sources (state general funds, federal funding, and fees or other sources)
Note that the dollar evaluation is not adjusted for inflation and the states providing funding amounts based these on their accounting preferences.
Overall, findings from the Report include:
- State environmental agency budgets increased
- General funding contributions increased
- Fees and other contributions increased
- Federal funding contributions increased
- Possible explanations for increase in federal funding contributions are discussed
- State environmental agency budget funding category composition is stated to vary
- State average environmental agency budget per capita spending increased
ECOS describes itself as the national nonprofit, nonpartisan association of state and territorial environmental agency leaders. It states that the purpose of the organization is to improve the capability of state environmental agencies and their leaders to protect and improve human health and the environment of the United States of America.
Becky Keogh, Secretary, Arkansas Department of Energy and Environment, serves as ECOS Past President.
A link to the 72-page Report can be downloaded here.
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